Demonstrating device for vacuum cleaners



' July 16,: 1946. A. J. CHAPMAN 2,404,040

DEMONSTRATING DEVICE FOR VACUUM CLEANERS Filed Sept. 25, 1944 a:INVENTOR.

Patented July 16, 1946 DEMONSTRATING DEVICE FOR VACUUM CLEANERSArchibald J. Chapman, Grosse Pointe, Mich., assignor to Eureka WilliamsCorporation, a corporation of Michigan Application September 25, 1944,Serial No. 555,689

9 Claims.

This invention relates to exhibiting and demonstrating devices forvacuum. cleaners and has particular reference to a new and improveddevice ior exhibiting and demonstrating a vacuum cleaner in a veryconvenient and effective manner.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improveddevice for exhibiting and demonstrating a vacuum cleaner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the following specification taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawing, of which there is one sheet and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof with the case removed in orderto illustrate the working parts of the mechanism and taken generallyalong the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line3-3 of Fig. 1.

The device comprises in general a unit having a vacuum cleaner Illpositioned thereon. The

' unit includes a suitable case l2 enclosing a base l4 upon which aplurality of drums l6. I8, 20 and 22 are rotatably mounted, the drums l6and 22 having their shafts journaled in bearings 24 which are adjustablymounted in a suitable bearing retainer 26. Rollers 30 and 32 positionedclose together with their axes arranged parallel are arranged above thedrums l8 and 20. An endless strip of carpeting 34 is arranged on thedrums 20 and 22 and the roller 32, while another endless strip ofcarpeting 36 is arranged on the drums l6 and I8 and the roller 30. Thetwo strips of carpeting are arranged in alignment and each has upperhorizontally extending portions or runs extending between the roller 32and the drum 22 and the roller 30 and the drum l respectively. Suchhorizontal portions are visible through opening 38 provided in the uppersurface of the case 12. and the cleaner II] is arranged as illustratedto straddle the joint or break between the hori zontally extendingportions of the strips 34 and 36 of carpeting.

The width of the nozzle of the cleaner l0 may be slightly greater thanthat of the opening 38 so that the ends of the cleaner will rest uponthe top of the case l2 at the side of the opening 33, and a bar 42spanning the opening 38 beneath the cleaner Ill may be provided forsupporting the rear end of the cleaner above the strips of carpeting 34and 36.

The drums l8 and 20 are provided with sprockextending run of the carpet34, and this beater 52 is connected by a belt and pulley drive 55 to oneof the sprockets 44 so that during operation of the motor the beater 52will be driven.

The beater 52 is arranged to beat the under side of the carpet 34 ashort distance ahead of the front of the cleaner In so as to make thecarpet vibrate at the region immediately in front of the cleaner Ill.The carpet 34 has permanently secured to the exposed surface thereofsuitable material of a cotton or linty nature so as to simulate theappearance of a dirty carpet. The carpet 36 must be of the samecharacter and color as the carpet 34 but is clean and free from lint,dirt, etc.

During the operation of the motor 48 the pulley 44 will be driven in acounterclockwise direction so as to drive the strips 34 and 35 ofcarpeting in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. This willgive the appearance of a dirty carpet passing under the nozzle of thecleaner and a clean carpet moving away from the back end of the cleaner.The action of the beater 52 at this time will simulate the action of thebrush or agitator of the cleaner in beating the carpet. The horizontalrun of the carpet 36 may pass over a flat solid surface so as toeliminate the possibility of this part of the carpet vibrating duringthe operation of the device.

The motor of the vacuum cleaner may be turned on during the operation ofthe device if desired, although it is not necessary. In order to give amore realistic appearance to the cleaner if the same is not operatedduring the operation of the device, the bag of the cleaner may be fixedin a distended position by any suitable means so as to give theappearance of a vacuum cleaner bag during normal cleaner operation.

One of the principal advantages inherent in this device is that with itit is possible to provide a demonstration in a store without the use ofan operator.

While the invention has been described with some detail, it is to beunderstood that the description is for the purposeof illustration onlyand is not definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right isreserved to make such changes in the details of construction andarrangement of parts as will fall within the purview of the attachedclaims.

I claim:

1. A device for exhibiting suction cleaners comprising a piece ofcarpeting arranged so as to have an exposed horizontally extending.portion, said piece of carpeting having litter or dirt secured thereto,a second piece of clean carpeting arranged so as to have an exposedhorizontally extending portion in line with and adjoining that of saidfirst-mentioned piece of carpeting, a suction cleaner overlying the gapbetween the horizontally extending portions of said pieces I ofcarpeting and having its nozzle arranged over and presented toward saidfirst-mentioned piece, and means for moving both of said pieces ofcarpeting relative to said cleaner at substantially the same speed andin a direction corresponding with movement from front to rear of saidcleaner.

2. A device for exhibiting suction cleaners comprising a piece ofcarpeting arranged so as to have an exposed horizontally extendingportion, said piece of carpeting having litter or dirt secured thereto,a second piece of clean carpeting arranged so as to have an exposedhorizontally extending portion in line with and adjoining that of saidfirst-mentioned piece of carpeting, a suction cleaner overlying the gapbetween the horizontally extending portions of said pieces of carpetingand having its nozzle arranged over and presented toward saidfirst-mentioned piece, means for moving both of said pieces of carpetingrelative to said cleaner at substantially the same speed and in adirection corresponding with movement from front to rear of saidcleaner, and means below the carpeting operative for beating thehorizontally extending portion of the firstmentioned piece of carpetingin a zone adjacent the nozzle of said cleaner and simultaneously withmovement of said carpeting cleaner.

3. A device for exhibiting suction cleaners comprising an endless pieceof carpeting arranged on rolls so as to have an exposed horizontallyextending portion, said piece of carpeting having litter or dirt securedthereto, a second endless piece of clean carpeting arranged on rolls soas to have an exposed horizontally extending portion in line with andadjoining that of said first-mentioned piece of carpeting, a suctioncleaner overlying the gap between the horizontally extending portions ofsaid pieces of carpeting and having its nozzle arranged over andpresented toward said firstmentioned piece, and means for moving both ofsaid pieces of carpeting relative to said cleaner at substantially thesame speed and in a direction corresponding with movement from front torear of said cleaner.

4. A device for exhibiting suction cleaners comprising an endless pieceof carpeting arranged on rolls so as to have an exposed horizontallyextending portion, said piece of carpeting having litter or dirt securedthereto, a second endless piece of clean carpeting arranged on rolls soas to have an exposed horizontally extending portion in line with andadjoining that of said firsti entioned piece of carpeting, a suctioncleaner overlying the gap between the horizontally extending portions ofsaid pieces of carpeting and having its nozzle arranged over andpresented toward said first-mentioned piece, means for moving both ofsaid pieces of carpeting relative to said cleaner at substantially thesame speed and in a direction corresponding with movement rom front torear of said cleaner, and means for beating the horizontally extendingportion of the first-mentioned piece of carpeting in a zone adjacent thenozzle of said cleaner and simultaneously with movement of saidcarpeting 5. A device for exhibiting suction cleaners comprising anendless piece of carpeting arranged on rolls so as to have an exposedhorizontall extending portion, said piece of carpeting having litter ordirt secured thereto, a second endless piece of clean carpeting arrangedon rolls so as to have an exposed horizontally extending portion in linewith and adjoining that of said first-mentioned piece of carpeting, asuction cleaner overlying the gap between the horizontally extendingportions of said pieces of carpeting and having its nozzle arranged overand presented toward said firstmentioned piece, means for moving both ofsaid,

pieces of carpeting relative to said cleaner at substantially the samespeed and in a direction corresponding with movement from front to rearof said cleaner, and means beneath the horizontally extending portion ofthe first-mentioned piece of carpeting for beating the same adjacent thenozzle of the cleaner and simultaneously with movement of saidcarpeting.

G. A device for exhibiting suction cleaners comprising an endless pieceof carpeting arranged on rolls so as to have a horizontally extendingportion, said piece of carpeting having litter or dirt secured thereto,a second endless piece of clean carpeting arranged on rolls so as tohave a horizontally extending portion in line with and adjoining that ofsaid first-mentioned piece of carpeting, a casing enclosing saidcarpeting and having an elongated opening in the upper surface thereofthrough which said horizontally extending portions are exposed, asuction cleaner overlying the gap between the horizontally extendingportions of said pieces of carpeting and having its nozzle arranged overand presented toward said first-mentioned piece, means within saidcasing for moving both of said pieces of carpeting relative to saidcleaner at substantially the same speed and in a direction correspondingwith movement from front to rear of said cleaner.

'7. A device for exhibiting suction cleaners comprising an endless pieceof carpeting arranged on rolls so as to have a horizontally extendingportion, said piece of carpeting having litter or dirt secured thereto,a second endless piece of clean carpeting arranged on rolls so as tohave a horizontally extending portion in line with and adjoining that ofsaid first-mentioned piece of carpeting, a casing enclosing saidcarpeting and having an elongated opening in the upper surface thereofthrough which said horizontally extending portions are exposed, asuction cleaner overlying the gap between the horizontally extendingportions of said pieces of carpeting and having its nozzle arranged overand presented toward said first-mentioned piece, means within saidcasing for moving both of said pieces of carpetlng relative to saidcleaner at substantially the same speed and in a direction correspondingwith movement from front to rear of said cleaner, and means for beatingthe horizontall extending portion of the first-mentioned piece ofcarpeting in a zone adjacent the nozzle of said cleaner.

8. A device for exhibiting suction cleaners comprising carpetingarranged on rolls so as to have an exposed horizontally extendingportion, a suction cleaner having a nozzle overlying and presentedtoward the horizontally extending portion of said carpeting, and meansfor moving said carpeting relative to said cleaner in a directioncarpeting relative to said cleaner in a direction corresponding withmovement from front to rear of said cleaner, and means for beating thehorizontally extending portion of said carpeting adjacent the nozzle ofsaid cleaner and during movement of said carpeting.

ARCHIBALD J. CHAPMAN.

